Washing, loading and extracting machine



May 19, 1959 A. E. LICHTENSTEIN ET WASHING, LOADING AND EXTRACTINGMACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1956 ATTORNEY M y 1959 A. E.LICHTENSTEIN ETA!- WfXSHING, LOADING ANI EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed July2, 1956 is Sheets-Sheet 2 Q:0 9.29 Lei-pm mvem'ons A. E. LICHTENSTEINS.J.HEIMAN I av v ATTORNEY y 19, 1959 A. E. LICHTENSTEIN ET AL 2,887,354

WASHING, LOADING AND EXTRACTING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQRS m E M 8 M B T u u S A ATTORNEY United StatesPatent "ice WASHING, LOADING AND EXTRACTING MACHINE Albert E.Lichtenstein and Sam I. Heiman, Miami, Fla.

Application July 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,246

16 Claims. (CL 8-459) The present invention relates to a machine forcleaning and more particularly to drycleaning and includes means forwashing clothes in a liquid solvent, means to extract the liquid solventfrom the clothes, and the provision of structure for inserting andremoving clothes from the machine without lowering the productivityduring such loading and unloading.

Heretofore various types of washing machines have been used for bothwashing clothes in water and for washing clothes in solvents of thevarious types including natural and synthetic products. In each of thesemachines and the methods used the clothes have been immersed in solventsand agitated until the desired cleanliness was obtained. T hereafterthesolvent was removed from the machine and extracted from the clothes andthe clothes removed from the washing machine and consequently thewashing machine was performing no useful work of cleaning during thesolvent extraction process and the loading and unloading operations.Consequently a number of machines were required to give the desiredproductivity and therefore there has been uneconomical use of personneland equipment with resultant financial loss.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the difiicultiesenumerated and provide a method and apparatus which will permitefficient operation in a substantially continuous cycle withoutexpensive delays.

A further object is to provide a washing machine in which a plurality ofclothes receiving baskets are mounted so that each basketmay beavailable for different portions of the cycle of washing clothes andextracting the liquid therefrom.

A further object is to provide a washing machine with a suflicientnumber of baskets which are independently operable for treating clothesin ditfe-rent portions of the cycle.

Another object is to provide a method in which the cost is kept to aminimum with relation to the output.

Other and further objects will be apparent as the description proceedsand upon reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of one form of washing machine;

Fig. 2, a similar view of the same washing machine with the end coveromitted and parts broken away to permit observation of the interior;

Fig. 3, a view of the same washing machine as seen from the other endthereof;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary longitudinal section of the washing machine shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, showing the indexing mechanism and the clutchmechanism for positioning and driving the baskets with portions in thehousing in elevation;

Fig. 5, an end view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified form of washingmachine in which the basket is loaded from the periphery thereof ratherthan from the end; and

Fig. 6, a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 4 of the Patented May 19,1959 modification shown on Fig. 5 and showing the access door in one ofthe clothes baskets through which clothes are inserted and removed.

Briefly, the washing machine of the present invention comprises acylindrical housing having means to continuously supply and remove asolvent from the bottom portion and in which housing a shaft isrotatablymounted. A plurality of arms are mounted in radially extending relationon the shaft and rotatably carry clothes receiving baskets in equallyspaced relation. Also mounted on the shaft are partitions locatedbetween adjacent baskets extending substantially to the periphery of thehousing to provide movable compartments.

Power means is provided for agitating the lowermost basket in the bodyof solvent, and power means is provided for rotating another basket inan upper portion for extracting the solvents from the clothes whilestill another basket is freely rotatable so that the clothes in saidstill another basket may be removed and inserted for continuing thetreatment thereof.

Index means are provided for rotating the shaft to position and lockingthe shaft with the baskets in a definite position in which the agitationof the one basket in the solvent, the extracting of solvent from anotherbasket, and the loading and unloading of still another basket may becarried out. Suitable clutch means are provided for driving the baskets.

Upon more detailed reference to the drawing, the washing machine of thepresent invention includes a housing 10 having a hollow cylindricalcasing wall 11 with an end wall 12 at one end thereof and an end wall 13at the other end thereof which are suitably secured to the cylindricalcasing by conventional fastening means 14 passing through openings 14'or the like. Rotatably mounted in bearings 15, 16 in end walls 12 and13, respectively, is a hexagonal shaft 17 from which a plurality of armsI-IS, I-19, 11-18, Il -19, III-18, III-19 are mounted in radiallyextending equally spaced relation and upon the outer ends of such armsbaskets I-20, Il-20, III-2i) are rotatively mounted by means of suitablestub shafts projecting from the end walls of such baskets and rotativelymounted in hearings on the ends of such arms.

Positioned between the, baskets and mounted on the shaft 17 are radialpartitions I-21, II21-III-21 which partitions separate the adjacentbaskets from each other and provide movable compartments along with thecylindrical casing 11 for maintaining each basket in separated conditionfrom the other baskets. The stub shafts at the rear end of the basketextend through the adjacent radially extending arm and carry clutchelements I-22- 1I-22 and III-22 respectively for driving the basketsfrom suitable sources of power.

For designating the positions of the baskets in the housing, as shown inFigure 2, position-A corresponds to the position of basket I-20,position-B corresponds the position of basket II-20 and position-Ccorresponds to the position of basket III-20. To drive the baskets intheir various positions a washing motor gear reduction unit 23 isprovided with a driven shaft 24 carrying a clutch element 25 whichclutch element is controlled by a handle 26 through a suitable linkage27 for causing engagement and disengagement of the clutch element 25with the corresponding clutch element I22, 11-22, or III-22 whereby thebaskets in position-A will be power driven in the washing operation witha continuous rotation or with a reversing rotation to obtain effectiveagitation of the clothes in the basket in the position-A in which thebasket and the clothes therein are at least partially submerged in abody of solvent 28, the, level of which is controlled by an overflowpipe 29 and which is supplied with solvent through a supply pipe 30. Aconventional drain pipe 31 is provided and controlled by a 'controlvalve32 -when it is desired to completely drain the solvent 28 from thehousing in, such solvent passing through a button retaining strainer 33into a sump 34 from which the solvent is cleaned and re-circulated sothatthe supply of solvent 28 in the housing it is continuously changedwhereby dirty solvent is replaced with clean solvent so as to maintainhigh cleaning ersciency.

Simultaneously with the washing of the clothes in position-A, solvent isextracted from the clothes in the basketin position-B by means ofa'motor and gear re duction unit 35 having a shaft 36 driven therefromand connected to a clutch element 37 controlled'by a handle 38 and alinkage 39 for causing engagement and disengagement of the clutchwhereby the motor gear reduction'unit 35 may rotate the basket 11-20 ata sufiiciently high speed so that centrifugal force will extract suchsolvent from the clothes such solvent being confined by the partitionsI-21, 11-21 which solvent drains down into the body of solvent 28.

While vthe clothes are being washed in position-A and the solvent isbeing extractedfrom clothes in position-B, the clothes .in the basketsinposition-C which have been previously cleaned and from which thesolvent has been extracted, are removed through the door 40 in end wall'12 and one of the doors III-41 or III-42 in the basket III-20 so thatthe unloading of the clean clothes from basket III-20 and the loading ofdirty clothes into basket III-20 is accomplished while the clothes inthe basket in position-A are being washed and the clothes in basket inposition-B are having the liquid extracted therefrom. After thepredetermined time required for the Washing and extracting and loadingoperations the shaft 17 is .rotated by an indexing motor and gearreduction unit 43 through suitable gearing 4.4 and 45 which positively.drives the shaft .17 .a definite amount'toposition the hasiket I-20 inposition-B, the basket II-20 in position-C, and the basket III-20 inposition-A after which the clutch elements 25 and 37 respectively arereleased by operation .of handles 26 and 38 respectively and "theclothes are washed and extracted in positions A and B respectively.Suitable means are provided to lock the shaft 17 in operative positionso there is no danger of the clutch parts being .misaligned andpreferably a safety control is provided which prevents operation of themotor gear reduction units 23 and 35 respectively until this lockedsituation has occurred.

It will be noted that the basket in position-C is freely rotatable .atthis time and there is no danger of the operator'having his arms caughtin power driven mechanism.

After the completion ofthe above mentioned washing cycle, the clutches37 and 25 are released and the index'ing mechanism 4344 and 45 isoperated to rotate the shaft 17 one third of a revolution therebybringing basket I-20 to position-C, bringing basket I-22 to position-A,andbringing basket III-20 to position-B and the operation is repeatedthereby completing a cycle of washing clothes, extracting solvent fromthe clothes and unloading and loading each basket and this can be donewithout any delay involved in draining the liquid solvent from thehousing 10.

Referring to the modification shown in Figures and 6 similar referencenumerals are used and similar parts throughout where such partscorrespond to the parts shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and where suchparts differ, the differing parts are identified with a primemarkrespectively.

The washing machine shown in Figures 5 and 6 is similar in most respectsto the modification shown in Figures 1-4 inclusive by the basketsIII-2th, I-20 and II-20 and provided with doors III-41',,I-4l' and11-41. on the cylindrical surface thereof and the cylindrical casingportion 11" of the housing is provided with a door 40' to permit accessinto the interior of the baskets upon alignment of door 40' with thecorresponding door seer/33st 111-41, L41, or 'II-41'. The baskets arerotated by 'sirnilar'means includingthe motor gear reduction units '23and 35, respectively, the clutches 25 and 37, respectively, for thewashing operation and solvent extracting operation, respectively. Clutch25 is operated by a solenoid 46 which operates through a suitablelinkage 47 to control the clutch element .25 and the clutch element 37is operated by a solenoid 48 through a suitable linkage 49. It will beevident thatthe clutchesmajy be'spring operated or may be operated bymagnets. The clutches are preferably aligned in an exact manner by theindexing mechanism and an aligning pin may be used to maintainthisaccurate alignment as shown in Fig. 4. The clutches are preferably ofthe friction type although positive clutches may be used with or withoutsuitable controls for the motor and gear reduction units.

From the above description, it is believed that the operation of theapparatus and the performance of the method should be apparent. Thelevel of liquid 28 in the housing is maintained constant by suitablemeans and the baskets are moved to position A one after the other andagitated in the liquid so that the clothes therein are-cleaned afterwhich the remaining solvent is extracted by a centrifugal process inposition B and thereafter the clothes are removed when the basket ismoved to position C and a new load of clothes placed therein.

Itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes'maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification, butonly-as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

"1. A washing machine for cleaning clothes, comprising a housing, anindexing 'shaftmounted centrally "of said housing, a spider on each endof said shaft adjacent each end of the housing, a basket rotatablymounted on the endsof cooperating-pairs of arms of said spiders,partitions projecting outwardly from said shaft between adjacent armsseparatingsaicl baskets into compartments, a liquid level maintainingmeans in the lower portion of said housing, means to rotate said spiderswhereby any one of .said baskets'may be at least partially submerged insaid liquid, means to cause the submerged basket to be agitatedwithsuflicient force to clean clothes in said basket, means to rotateanother of said baskets simultaneously with the agitation of said onebasket whereby liquid'will .be extracted from the clothes in said secondbasket, the third .basket being mounted for free rotation and unaffectedby the agitation of said one basket or by the rotation of the saidanother basket, an access door in .said casing closely adjacent saidthird basket whereby the contents of said third basket may beremoved'and a new load inserted, and means for indexing said spiders tomove the third basket after loading into position of washing so as tobeat least partially submerged in the washing liquid.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which means are provided tomaintain a constant supply of clean washing liquid.

3. A machine for cleaning clothes comprising a housing, a spiderrotatably mounted in said housing, a basket rotatably mounted on the endof each arm of the spider, means to retain a supply of washing solventin a portion of said housing, means to rotate the spider so thatcone ofsaid baskets is' in the supply of solvent, means to:agitate the solventso that the solvent comes in contact with the clothes in said one of.said baskets for cleaning said clothes, another of said baskets beingpositioned out of said solvent, means to rotate said another of saidbaskets for effecting removal of solvent therefrom, and means forproviding access to still another basket While said one basket and said.anotherbasket are processing the clothes whereby said still anotherbasket may be loaded and unloaded without reducing the time of washingof .1116

clothes and without reducingthe time of removing the solvent from theclothes, said still another basket being stationary to provide for theloading and unloading thereof while the said one basket and the saidanother basket are operating on'clothes.

4. A machine for efficiently washing clothes comprising a horizontallydisposed cylindrical casing, a'horizontally disposed shaft rotatablymounted in said casing and carrying a plurality of radiating arms,partitions intermediate said arms secured to said shaft and radiatingtherefrom, means to continuously introduce and remove liquid from thelower portion of said casing, baskets rotatably mounted on the end ofeach arm, means to positively rotate said baskets in at least twopositions in said casing, one of said positions being adjacent to theliquid therein and another position entirely above the liquid wherebythe clothes may be washed upon rotation of the basket in the liquid anddried in the same basket when the basket is brought out of said liquidwhereby the delay of filling and removing the liquid from the casing isavoided.

5. A method of cleaning clothes comprising agitating the clothes in afirst basket at least partially submerged in a liquid solvent, movingsaid first basket out of said solvent and placing a second basket in thesolvent and thereafter agitating said second basket in the solvent androtating said first basket out of the solvent to extract the liquidsolvent therefrom, and thereafter moving a third basket into the solventand moving the said second basket out of the solvent and moving saidfirst basket to a position where the clothes may be removed from saidfirst basket and said first basket maybe reloaded, and main taining saidfirst basket stationary while unloading and loading said first basketand repeating the operations successively for the second and thirdbaskets whereby maximum efliciency of personnel and equipment isobtained.

6. A method of cleaning clothes with a minimum of handling and with aminimum of lost time, comprising simultaneously using three baskets,unloading and loading one of said baskets, power agitating another ofsaid baskets in a liquid to clean the contents in said second basket,rapidly rotating the third basket to remove the moisture from theclothes in said third basket, performing all of these operations in asingle liquid-tight housing.

7. The method according to claim 6 in which the baskets are rotated onhorizontal axis and the baskets are kept separated from each other.

8. A method of cleaning clothes with a minimum of handling and with aminimum of lost time, comprising simultaneously using three baskets,unloading and loading one of said baskets, power agitating another ofsaid baskets in a liquid to clean the contents in said second basket,rapidly rotating the third basket to remove the moisture from theclothes in said third basket.

9. A method of cleaning clothes in a continuous process comprisingagitating a first batch of clothes in a continuously changing body ofliquid, removing said first batch of clothes from said liquid andsimultaneously placing a second batch of clothes in the liquid forcleaning, extracting the liquid remaining in the first batch of clothesthat have been cleaned, transferring the second batch of clothes to theextracting position while a third batch of clothes is placed in theliquid, and while the third batch of clothes is being cleaned and theliquid is being extracted from the second batch simultaneously removingthe clothes of said first batch at a loading and unloading position andreplacing the said cleaned first batch of clothes with a fourth batch ofclothes and repeating the process whereby maximum eificiency is obtained.

10. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cylindrical housing,means to mount said cylindrical housing with its axis horizontal, spidermeans rotatably mounted within said housing on the axis of said housingsaid spider including three partitions lying in the plane of said axisand extending radially in equally spaced relation, three basketspositioned within said housing and separated by said partitions, meansto rotatably support said baskets from said spider means, means tosupply washing liquid to said housing whereby a basket in the lowerposition will extend into the liquid. and the other baskets will be outof the liquid, means to agitate each basket in the washing position andmeans to rotate each basket in an upper position for extracting theliquid therefrom, and means providing access into said cylindricalhousing and into each basket when the bracket is located in a thirdposition for the insertion and removal of clothes to be Washed.

11. The invention according to claim 10 in which an access door isprovided on an end of said horizontal cylindrical housing above the axisthereof and to one side of said axis and each basket being provided withan access opening adapted to register with the access opening in saidhousing.

12. A method of cleaning clothes with a minimum of handling and with aminimum of lost time comprising simultaneously using three baskets,unloading and loading one of said baskets while maintaining said onebasket substantially stationary, power agitating another of said basketsin a liquid to clean the contents in said second basket, rapidlyrotating the third basket to remove the moisture from the clothes insaid third basket, performing all of these operations in a singleliquid-tight housing.

13. An apparatus for washing clothes in a liquid and removing the liquidtherefrom with a minimum loss of liquid and with a minimum supply ofliquid comprising arranging three agitating drums within a substantiallyfluid tight horizontally disposed cylindrical housing, radial partitionsmounted in the housing between the drums, means to rotate one of thedrums for agitating the clothes in the lower portion of the housing,means to maintain a depth of liquid within the lower portion of thehousing so the liquid contacts only the first drum and the clothes insuch drum in such lower portion of the housing, means to centrifuge thesecond drum in the upper portion of the housing to remove liquid fromthe clothes in the said second drum simultaneously with the agitating ofthe drum in the lower portion of the housing, the third drum beingmounted to be entirely out of the liquid and out of the path of liquidextracted from said second drum and adapted to be substantiallystationary for removal of washed clothes therefrom and for the insertionof soiled clothes thereinto during the simultaneous washing of clothesin the first drum and simultaneous removal of liquid from the clothes inthe second drum, the partitions between said drums preventing thepassage of liquid from said first and second drums coming into contactwith said third drum.

14. Apparatus for washing clothes to obtain high efiiciency in the useof the machine and the use of labor comprising a substantiallycylindrical housing disposed with its axis in a generally horizontalposition, means to maintain a supply of washing liquid in the bottom ofsaid housing, at least three drums within said housing, support meansfor said drums to support one of the said drums in said liquid and tosupport the other drums out of said liquid, partition means between saiddrums and extending to the periphery and ends of the housing, means toagitate one drum in the liquid, means to rotate a second drum out of theliquid to remove the liquid from the clothes therein, and means toprevent rotation of said third drum and to provide for access to saidthird drum for unloading clothes from said third drum and loading soiledclothes in said third drum while said first and second drums are inoperation.

15. A method of washing clothes in a liquid and removing the liquidtherefrom with a minimum loss of liquid and with a minimum supply ofliquid comprising arranging three agitating drums within a substantiallyfluid tight casing, maintaining a depth of liquid within the 16 mljiortio'nhf thef'housing to contactbnly the driir'n in .siich loiwer'portion of the housing, effectively panties; ragw'achdmm'rrom the,others, agitating th'e clothes in one, drum 'in the'liquidin'the' lower'jor'tion of thehousiil' to wash'said clothes, simultaneously with theagitation of the clothes in the lower portion of'the housingcentrifiiging a'seco'nd" drumin the upperportion of the housingtofeniove liquid froni the clothes therein, simultaneously maintaining athird drum Substantially stationary and ren'ioving washed clothes fromsaid third drum and 'insert ing soiled clothe's thereto whilesimultaneously washiri g' clothes in the first drum and removing liquidand successively repeating the operation on other batchesof clothes.

16L The method of washing clothes to obtain high elficiency in" the useof the equipment and labor com: prising maintaining a changing supply'ofyvashing liquid in t'he bottom of a housing, successively fillingdrurns Within the housing with clothes to be washed, partitioning 8drums from one anothefito prevent passage of liquid m m t wa t a t n vm'i i j a a rat n 9 99 fr m p of t l qui w' q' h i l iqm' l es er in andPreve tin Q fi o a third ammo firovide for access to said third druiiloading a batch of clothes from saidthird: drurii and thereafter loadingabatch of soiled clothes into said third drumjcontinuin'g the operationof said first and seco nd drums While the third drurn is stationary, andrepeating 'tfi bPer ia $14 611 ashe f wilt- References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,067 Bahrn Apr. 29, 19302,660,870 Kennedy Dec. 1, 1953 2,756,581 Von Boeherne July 31', 1956FOREIGN PATENTS T? V" "l','f f

16. THEMETHOD OF WASHING CLOTHES TO OBTAIN HIGH EFFICIENCY IN THE USE OFTHE EQUIPMENT AND LABOR COMPRISING MAINTAINING A CHANGING SUPPLY OFWASHING LIQUID IN THE BOTTOM OF A HOUSING, SUCCESSIVELY FILLING DRUMSWITHIN THE HOUSING WITH CLOTHES TO BE WASHED, PARTITIONING THE DRUMSFROM ONE ANOTHER TO PREVENT PASSAGE OF LIQUID TO SOME OF THE DRUMS,AGITATING ONE DRUM IN THE LIQUID, ROTATING A SECOND DRUM OUT OF THELIQUID TO REMOVE THE LIAUID FROM CLOTHES THEREIN, AND PREVENTINGROTATION OF A THIRD DRUM TO PROVIDE FOR ACCESS TO SAID THIRD DRUM,UNLOADING A BATCH OF CLOTHES FROM SAID THIRD DRUM AND THEREAFTER LOADINGA BATCH OF SOILED CLOTHES INTO SAID THIRD DRUM, CONTINUING THE OPERATIONOF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DRUMS WHILE THE THIRD DRUM IS STATIONARY, ANDREPEATING THE OPERATIONS SUCCESSIVELY ON BATCHES OF CLOTHES.